Motorsport Diary: Kiwis racing overseas this weekend

KIWIS RACING ABROAD | 8-11 MAY WEEKEND PREVIEW 🏁

It’s another busy weekend for Kiwi motorsport talent around the world, with New Zealand drivers competing across endurance racing, IndyCar, NASCAR, GT racing, motorcycle racing, and junior categories throughout Europe, North America, and Australia.

One of the biggest events of the weekend is the FIA World Endurance Championship at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, with Round 2 taking place at the legendary Belgian circuit. Brendon Hartley, Earl Bamber, and Nick Cassidy will all be in action as teams continue preparations ahead of next month’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. Spa’s fast layout, unpredictable weather, and constant traffic make it one of the toughest races on the WEC calendar.

In the United States, the NTT IndyCar Series heads to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course for Round 6 of the season. Scott McLaughlin, Scott Dixon, and Marcus Armstrong will all be looking for strong results as the Month of May ramps up before the Indianapolis 500 later this month.

Supporting the IndyCar weekend, Jacob Douglas continues his USF Pro 2000 campaign with Rounds 3 and 4 at Indianapolis. The young Kiwi continues his second full time season on one of the biggest stages in American motorsport. Joining him on the grid is fellow Kiwi Sebastian Manson.

Over at Watkins Glen International, Shane van Gisbergen faces a massive weekend with triple duty across the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The New Zealander has already shown strong speed on road courses this season, and Watkins Glen is expected to suit his background well.

Sebring International Raceway hosts another major GT weekend in America, with Ryan Yardley competing in both GT4 America and GT World Challenge America. The 2025 Porsche Carrera Cup North America champion will take on a busy schedule across multiple races at the tough Florida circuit.

In Asia, Kiwis Marco Giltrap and Chris van der Drift will both be in action during Rounds 5 and 6 of Porsche Carrera Cup Asia at the iconic Fuji International Speedway. Giltrap continues his international GT progression as he looks to build momentum on one of Japan’s most demanding and historic circuits, while experienced campaigner van der Drift adds further Kiwi representation to the highly competitive field expected across the weekend.

Across the Tasman, The Bend Motorsport Park hosts a packed weekend of GT and Porsche racing featuring several Kiwi drivers.

The Monochrome GT4 Australia Championship continues with Rounds 3 and 4, where Chris White returns to the category alongside fellow New Zealanders Blake Dowdall, William Exton, and Tayler Bryant.

GT World Challenge Australia also heads to The Bend for Rounds 3 and 4, with Brendon Leitch, Jaxon Evans, Ryan Wood, and Steve Brooks all competing in a highly competitive GT3 field.

Hunter Robb is also back in action at The Bend as the Porsche Sprint Challenge Australia Championship holds Round 2 of its season.

In Europe, Cormac Buchanan continues his Moto3 campaign at the French Grand Prix from the famous Bugatti Circuit. The Kiwi teenager will once again take on one of the toughest grids in motorcycle racing as the championship reaches Round 5.

Meanwhile, the AMA Supercross Championship wraps up in Salt Lake City with the 250SX East/West Showdown at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Kiwi rider Cole Davies will line up against the combined East and West Coast fields in one of the biggest races of the Supercross season.

From Spa and Indianapolis to Watkins Glen, Sebring, Le Mans, and The Bend, it’s another packed weekend of international action for Kiwi drivers and riders competing around the world.

Check out our detailed weekend preview below for everything you need to know, including session times, how to watch, and who’s racing where. ⬇️

Brendon Hartley, Earl Bamber & Nick Cassidy | FIA World Endurance Championship

• Where? Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
• NZ Times:
  • Free Practice 1: Thursday 9:00 PM
  • Free Practice 2: Friday 1:40 AM
  • Free Practice 3: Friday 8:10 PM
  • Qualifying: Saturday 1:20 AM
  • Hyperpole: Saturday 1:45 AM
  • Race: Sunday 12:00 AM
    
• How to Watch? FIAWEC+ ($100 NZD for the season pass or $19.95 for 6 Hours of Spa coverage)

The FIA World Endurance Championship heads to Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps this weekend for Round 2 of the 2026 season, with Kiwi drivers Brendon Hartley, Earl Bamber, and Nick Cassidy all back in action ahead of next month’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Hartley arrives in Belgium carrying strong momentum after helping Toyota Gazoo Racing secure victory in the season-opening 6 Hours of Imola alongside Sébastien Buemi and Ryō Hirakawa. Toyota’s strategy proved decisive in a tense battle with Ferrari, with the win also marking the manufacturer’s 50th FIA WEC victory.

Fellow Kiwi Earl Bamber opened his season with a solid top-10 finish, bringing his Cadillac home eighth after a hard-fought race in the Hypercar field.

Nick Cassidy endured a more difficult start to the season after becoming stranded in the gravel during the race, triggering a Virtual Safety Car period that ultimately played into Toyota’s favour.

➡️ Round 1 Imola Recap HERE

Now, all three Kiwis turn their focus to Spa, one of the fastest and most iconic circuits on the WEC calendar, as preparations continue for Le Mans next month.

Scott McLaughlin, Scott Dixon & Marcus Armstrong | NTT IndyCar Series

• Where? IMS Road Course, Indianapolis
• NZ Times:
  • Practice 1: Saturday 1:00 AM
  • Practice 2: Saturday 5:00 AM
  • Qualifying: Saturday 9:30 AM
  • Race: Sunday 8:30 AM
    
• How to Watch? Sky Sports

The NTT IndyCar Series heads to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course this weekend for the Sonsio Grand Prix, with Scott McLaughlin, Scott Dixon, and Marcus Armstrong all back in action as the Month of May ramps up.

The Kiwi trio head to Indianapolis after a mixed weekend at Long Beach last round. Dixon was the standout New Zealander, using strategy and strong execution in the pits to climb through the field and finish third for his first podium of the season.

McLaughlin also came away with a solid result, bringing his Team Penske entry home sixth after spending most of the race running inside the top 10 on the streets of Long Beach.

Armstrong had a tougher afternoon, caught in midfield battles and strategy traffic throughout the race before eventually finishing 24th.

➡️ Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Recap HERE

Now attention turns to the Indianapolis road course, an important stop before the Indianapolis 500 later this month.

Jacob Douglas & Sebastian Manson| USF Pro 2000 Championship

• Where? IMS Road Course, Indianapolis
• NZ Times:
  • Practice: Friday 9:20 AM
  • Qualifying: Saturday 3:20 AM
  • Race 1: Sunday 12:55 AM
  • Race 2: Sunday 5:20 AM
    
• How to Watch? USF Pro Championships YouTube

Kiwi driver Jacob Douglas returns to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course this weekend for Rounds 3 and 4 of the USF Pro 2000 Championship, looking to bounce back after a difficult opening round in Arlington.

Despite showing strong speed on the Streets of Arlington, including a top-five qualifying performance, incidents in both races prevented Douglas from turning that pace into results.

The young Kiwi now heads back to a circuit that holds special memories after claiming his maiden USF Pro 2000 victory at Indianapolis last season.

Douglas and the Pabst Racing team arrive at IMS with confidence following productive recent testing at both Indianapolis and Mid-Ohio, where encouraging pace has put the team in a strong position heading into the weekend’s double-header.

With only two races completed so far this season, Douglas remains well within reach in the championship standings, with a strong weekend at Indianapolis capable of quickly lifting him back into contention.

Shane Van Gisbergen | NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series & NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series

• Where? Watkins Glen International, New York
• NZ Times:
  • Craftsman Truck Series Practice: Saturday 3:00 AM
  • Craftsman Truck Series Qualifying: Saturday 4:05 AM
  • Craftsman Truck Series Race: Saturday 8:30 AM
  • O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Practice: Sunday 2:30 AM
  • O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Qualifying: Sunday 3:35 AM
  • Cup Series Practice: Sunday 5:00 AM
  • Cup Series Qualifying: Sunday 6:10 AM
  • O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Race: Sunday 8:00 AM
  • Cup Series Race: Monday 7:00 AM
    
• How to Watch? ThreeNow

Shane van Gisbergen heads to Watkins Glen International this weekend for one of the biggest schedules of his NASCAR career, taking on triple duty across the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

The Kiwi arrives at Watkins Glen after another solid performance in the Cup Series at Texas Motor Speedway, where he battled through a difficult race to secure his second consecutive top-20 finish.

After qualifying 30th, van Gisbergen spent much of the race managing a loose-handling Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet while navigating a race filled with cautions and incidents. Despite communication issues early on and several late-race interruptions, the New Zealander stayed out of trouble and steadily worked his way forward.

A late caution shuffled the field once again, but van Gisbergen recovered to finish 17th after another composed drive in his rookie Cup Series season.

➡️ Texas Motor Speedway Recap HERE

Now the focus shifts to Watkins Glen, a circuit expected to suit van Gisbergen’s road racing background far more than the high-speed oval at Texas. With three races across the weekend and experience already building in all three NASCAR categories, the Kiwi heads into one of the most important road course events of the season with growing momentum.

Ryan Yardley | Pirelli GT4 America & GT World Challenge America

• Where? Sebring International Raceway, Florida
• NZ Times:
  • Pirelli GT4 America:
  • Practice: Friday 7:45 AM
  • Practice 2: Saturday 2:55 AM
  • Qualifying: Saturday 6:10 AM
  • Race 1: Saturday 9:40 AM
  • Race 2: Sunday 4:45 AM
  • GT World Challenge America:
  • Practice: Saturday 11:00 AM
  • Practice 2: Sunday 12:50 AM
  • Qualifying: Sunday 6:10 AM
  • Race: Sunday 9:00 AM
    
• How to Watch? GT World YouTube

Kiwi driver Ryan Yardley heads to Sebring International Raceway this weekend for another busy double-duty schedule across GT World Challenge America and Pirelli GT4 America.

Yardley arrives at Sebring carrying strong momentum after a successful weekend in the last round at Circuit of the Americas.

In GT4 America, Yardley and co-driver Damir Hot fought back from sixth in class to claim a hard-earned podium finish. After a difficult opening phase of the race, strategy and strong late-race pace helped the Kiwi climb through the field before securing third in class during a tense run to the chequered flag.

➡️Round 3 Pirelli GT4 America Recap HERE

Yardley backed that up with an even bigger result in GT World Challenge America, taking overall victory alongside Dave Musica Jr in the Wright Motorsports Porsche. A strong strategy, a consistent pace, and a late post-race penalty for a rival Mercedes secured the Kiwi pairing both the overall and Pro-Am wins.

➡️Round 2 GT World Challenge America Recap HERE

Now the former Porsche Carrera Cup Australia champion heads to Sebring looking to continue that form at one of North America’s toughest and most demanding circuits.

Marco Giltrap & Chris Van Der Drift | Porsche Carrera Cup Asia

• Where? Fuji International Speedway, Japan
• NZ Times:
  • Race 1: Saturday 6:55 PM
  • Race 2: Sunday 12:40 PM
    
• How to Watch? Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific YouTube

Marco Giltrap and fellow Kiwi Chris van der Drift will head to Fuji International Speedway off the back of contrasting Porsche Carrera Cup Asia campaigns at Zhuhai International Circuit during Rounds 3 and 4.

For Giltrap, the weekend delivered both promise and frustration, as the Team Porsche New Zealand driver claimed a podium finish but also suffered a DNF. He showed strong pace from the outset, qualifying third before converting that speed into an impressive Race 1 result. After early front-running drama, Giltrap moved into second place and held firm through interruptions and pressure to secure P2.

Race 2 proved far more difficult. Starting fourth, Giltrap was caught up in opening-lap contact at Turn 1 that triggered a chain reaction through the field. Further incidents followed, with the resulting damage eventually forcing him into retirement.

Despite the setback, his Race 1 podium keeps him firmly in the championship fight, sitting fourth overall heading into the next rounds. He now turns his focus to Rounds 5 and 6 at the iconic Fuji International Speedway, aiming to bounce back strongly in Japan.

➡️ Rounds 3 & 4 Recap HERE

Joining him on the grid this weekend will be experienced Kiwi Chris van der Drift, adding further New Zealand representation to the highly competitive Porsche Carrera Cup Asia field at the iconic Japanese circuit.

William Exton, Tayler Bryant, Chris White & Blake Dowdall | Monochrome GT4 Australia

• Where? The Bend Motorsport Park, South Australia
• NZ Times:
  • Free Practice 1: Friday 12:55 PM
  • Free Practice 2: Friday 4:15 PM
  • Qualifying 1: Saturday 10:45 AM
  • Qualifying 2: Saturday 11:10 AM
  • Race 1: Saturday 3:35 PM
  • Race 2: Sunday 12:00 PM
    
• How to Watch? GT World YouTube

Kiwi drivers William Exton, Tayler Bryant, Chris White, and Blake Dowdall are back in action this weekend as the Monochrome GT4 Australia Championship heads to The Bend Motorsport Park for Rounds 3 and 4.

The Kiwi drivers come into the weekend after a solid opening round at Phillip Island, where they dealt with safety cars, penalties, and tight midfield racing across the first two races of the season.

William Exton and Jack Johnson were among the strongest Kiwi combinations during the weekend and were unlucky to miss a class podium in Race 2 after a post-race penalty dropped them to fourth in class.

Tayler Bryant and co-driver Rylan Gray recovered well from early setbacks to finish both races inside the top 12, while Blake Dowdall and Cooper Cutts showed good consistency across the weekend in a competitive GT4 field.

➡️ Rounds 1 & 2 Phillip Island Recap HERE

This weekend also marks the return of Kiwi rising star Chris White, who begins a three-round campaign in the championship after winning the Bridgestone GR86 Championship.

With the season still in its early stages, The Bend gives the Kiwi drivers another chance to build momentum and move further up the field.

Brendon Leitch, Jaxon Evans, Steve Brooks & Ryan Wood | GT World Challenge Australia

• Where? The Bend Motorsport Park, South Australia
• NZ Times:
  • Free Practice 1: Friday 11:50 AM
  • Free Practice 2: Friday 7:00 PM
  • Qualifying 1: Saturday 12:45 PM
  • Qualifying 2: Saturday 1:10 PM
  • Race 1: Saturday 6:50 PM
  • Race 2: Sunday 4:40 PM
    
• How to Watch? GT World YouTube

Kiwi drivers Brendon Leitch, Jaxon Evans, Ryan Wood, and Steve Brooks return to The Bend Motorsport Park this weekend for Rounds 3 and 4 of the GT World Challenge Australia Championship following a strong opening round at Phillip Island.

Jaxon Evans and co-driver Elliott Schutte showed front-running pace throughout the opening weekend and came away with a podium finish in Race 2 after narrowly missing pole position in qualifying. The pair also finished inside the top five in Race 1 despite receiving a post-race penalty.

Ryan Wood and Steve Brooks also opened their season strongly, recovering from early drama in Race 1 to finish sixth before stepping onto the podium with third place in Race 2.

Brendon Leitch and Sergio Pires were among the standout combinations across the weekend and looked set for a second-place finish in Race 2 before contact from another car ended their race late in the event. The pair still showed strong pace throughout the weekend, including a fourth-place finish in the opening race despite carrying damage for much of the contest.

Now the Kiwi drivers head to The Bend looking to continue their strong start to the season at one of Australia’s fastest and most technical circuits.

Hunter Robb | Porsche Sprint Challenge Australia

• Where? The Bend Motorsport Park, South Australia
• NZ Times:
  • Free Practice 1: Friday 11:15 AM
  • Free Practice 2: Friday 2:55 PM
  • Qualifying: Friday 6:20 PM
  • Race 1: Saturday 1:40 PM
  • Race 2: Saturday 5:55 PM
  • Race 3: Sunday 2:20 PM
    
• How to Watch? Fox Sports and Kayo Sports (No NZ coverage)

Kiwi driver Hunter Robb heads to The Bend Motorsport Park this weekend for Round 2 of the Porsche Sprint Challenge Australia Championship, carrying strong early-season momentum after a standout opening round at Phillip Island.

Robb made the perfect start to his 2026 campaign, taking the overall round win after two race victories and a strong points haul across the weekend.

The Jones Motorsport driver converted pole position into a controlled win in Race 1, leading from start to finish and managing changing conditions well to open his account for the season.

He backed that up in Race 2 with another composed drive from pole, again controlling the race at the front despite interruptions from safety cars.

Race 3 proved more difficult after an early clash dropped him to the back of the field, but Robb recovered to 10th in class — enough to secure the overall round victory thanks to his earlier results.

That consistency across the weekend also put him into the early championship lead heading into The Bend.

➡️ Round 1 Phillip Island Recap HERE

Now Robb turns his attention to a very different challenge at one of Australia’s fastest and most technical circuits, looking to maintain his strong start to the season in Round 2.

Cormac Buchanan | Moto3 World Championship

• Where? Le Mans Bugatti Circuit, France
• NZ Times:
  • Free Practice 1: Friday 7:00 PM
  • Practice: Friday 11:15 PM
  • Free Practice 2: Saturday 6:40 PM
  • Qualifying 1: Saturday 10:45 PM
  • Qualifying 2: Saturday 11:10 PM
  • Race: Sunday 9:00 PM
    
• How to Watch? ThreeNow

Kiwi Moto3 rider Cormac Buchanan heads to the Bugatti Circuit this weekend for the Grand Prix of France, continuing his return from injury after Round 4 in Spain at Jerez.

At Jerez, Buchanan finished 19th in what was another tough but important weekend in his recovery. The Southland rider showed solid early pace, running in the points battle in the opening laps, but his progress was limited as ongoing knee and back issues became more of a factor over the course of the race.

He was able to show better speed in mixed and wet conditions during practice, including a strong P5 in FP2, but admitted the pain made it difficult to stay consistent in the race itself.

Even so, the weekend gave him more time on the bike and some positive signs as he continues working his way back to full fitness.

Now the focus shifts to Le Mans, where Buchanan will be aiming to keep building momentum and get through another full race weekend as he continues his recovery.

Cole Davies | AMA Supercross Championship

• Where? Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City
• NZ Times:
  • Qualifying: Sunday 4:00 AM
  • Main Event: Sunday 11:00 AM
    
• How to Watch? Super Motocross Video Pass

Kiwi rider Cole Davies heads to Rice-Eccles Stadium this weekend for the 250SX East/West Showdown, the final round of the AMA Supercross season, after clinching the 250SX East Championship two weeks ago in Philadelphia.

Davies wrapped up the title in tough conditions at Lincoln Financial Field, where heavy rain turned the race into a survival test. He took control early, moved into the lead on lap two, and managed the wet, muddy track better than most to secure the win and seal the East division championship.

Even a small crash mid-race didn’t derail him, as he had already built enough of a gap to stay in control once out front. From there, he managed the race cleanly to the finish, crossing the line comfortably ahead to lock in the title.

With the championship now secured, Davies arrives in Salt Lake City with no pressure on the East title, but still plenty to race for in the combined East/West showdown.

➡️ Philadelphia Recap HERE

It’s a final opportunity of the season to measure himself against the best from both divisions in what is traditionally one of the most competitive nights on the Supercross calendar.

Header Image: NASCAR